


M and Cat Hair

by Foodmoon



Series: Of Tea and Glitter Guns and Cats [9]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Cat Hair, Gen, M/M, Mentioned suicide, Mentioned treason, Platonic Relationships, Tea, gun - Freeform, mentioned death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-15 10:58:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13611930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foodmoon/pseuds/Foodmoon
Summary: M wakes to find someone in her home.





	M and Cat Hair

**Author's Note:**

> All mistakes are mine.

M eases forward cautiously, then releases her breath explosively and loosens her grip on the gun as she sees who is sitting at her table. “James.”

“You have it the wrong way around, you know?”

She glances down at the small gun, then grimaces and drops it in her robe pocket. “Why so I have. Just as well you aren’t an enemy. I haven’t shot a gun in years.”

“I can tell.” He says caustically, but not like he means it.

“So, where is your precious Ms. Lynd?”

He pauses, as if something surprises him about her question. “Dead. Killed herself.” And he sounds far too composed for a man who was supposedly in love with the woman. But then, what does she expect? He’s probably incapable of truly caring for a woman beyond anything other than superficial fondness, if she goes by his behavior in the field. That’s not always a good measure of a man, but perhaps it really is in James’ case.

She sighs and sits at the table as well. “And?”

“A Mr. White blackmailed her into it. I found the information in her phone.”

“Ah, so she-” She pauses as a whiff of familiar tea scent hits her nose, and narrows her eyes. “You’ve been to see Q before me?”

James bats those baby blues once, only a tell if one is familiar with his uncanny ability to not give away what he’s thinking. “What makes you say that?”

“You smell like tea.” _Earl Grey, to be exact._

His eyes widen just a bit to suggest innocence and he gives her a faintly hurt look. “What? You think I can’t enjoy tea?”

“Well, I might believe that if there wasn’t also a cat hair on your sleeve.”

He looks, which is admission enough, then gives her a narrow-eyed glare when there proves to be no cat hair. The fact that he’d tried to hide it tells her more than if he’d simply admitted to it. Well, well. So their Quartermaster means something to him? Interesting. Nothing she’ll use against him, of course. James may think he’s scary, but she has a better idea of what a pissed off Q could do as revenge than he does. And that doesn’t factor in the damage simply taking Q out of his current position would do to MI-6.

“M-” he begins warningly. _(And isn’t that cute?)_

She waves him off. “Have it your way. So your Ms. Lynd was a traitor, and you want to what? Kill the man who was behind it?”

His mouth tightens slightly. “I thought, rather, that you might like to come along and question him with me.”

“Hm. Yes, I suppose so. I suppose you want me to reinstate you?”

James sneers, as if it means nothing to him. “If you like. As it happens, I’d like to put a stop to the man who drove a woman to kill herself to get away from me.”

She eyes him and decides it’s a lie _(though not the part about Vesper, that much is true)._ Men like James don’t do well without something to live for. Whether that thing is being a double 0 or is their current Quartermaster isn’t something for her to say, but if it’s the latter, it’s a good bet that Q has already told him to go back to it, where he can keep an eye on the infuriating man. “As it happens, none of the junior agents have been able to fill your shoes yet. Show up in the morning like a good boy and take the tests. If you pass, you can have your number back.”

“It is morning.” He points out.

M snorts indelicately. “I’m not at work, so it’s not morning. And you’re not supposed to show up here, James. Do scoot along now.”

He rolls his eyes, but gets up and leaves.

In the half-light of the rising dawn, she just sits and thinks for a moment. Then she gets up to make herself toast and some good English Breakfast tea.

God help them all if James ever does go rogue and manages to take Q and Alec with him. Someone is always out to drag down the Queen and Empire, but those three might actually manage it.   
  
She needs to retire before the devil has a last laugh on her.

**Author's Note:**

> M does like her dark thoughts, doesn't she?  
> Don't worry, it's not actual foreshadowing of Bond going rogue.
> 
> English Breakfast teas are generally a mix of black teas, and are often very strong. They have descriptors like 'rich', 'full-bodied', 'robust' and 'goes well with milk and sugar'.
> 
> M probably wouldn't do more than blink if someone handed her a London Smog by accident. She likes her caffeine more than Q does.  
> Also, she may show up again in another of these. Assuming my muse doesn't go AWOL before that point.


End file.
